Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, former vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has declared that he may consider running for president in the 2027 general elections — but only if his running mate from 2023, Peter Obi, and another unnamed southern political figure opt out of the race.
Speaking during a live interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Tuesday, Baba-Ahmed said his potential presidential bid hinges on a mix of political and personal considerations.
He was quick to emphasise that he is not desperate for the position, insisting that national interest and leadership integrity remain his priorities.
“I would like Peter Obi to win the Labour Party nomination and contest again in 2027, with or without me,” Baba-Ahmed said.
“I supported him religiously in 2023 and would do so again. But if he steps down, and one other person I respect from the South also does, then I may consider stepping in.”
While declining to reveal the identity of the second person, Baba-Ahmed stressed that leadership ambition must never be rooted in desperation.
He stated that his “key ambition” is to help “stop the killings and the stealing” in Nigeria — not just to occupy a political seat.
The former senator also addressed rumours linking him with a defection from the Labour Party to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), saying there was no concrete reason to abandon the LP platform.
“Except for divine intervention and strategic political vacancies, I have no reason to be desperate,” he said.
“My political trajectory has never been about personal ambition. In 2019, I aspired and lost, and I moved on.”
Baba-Ahmed’s comments come amid growing speculation over who will emerge as frontrunners in the 2027 presidential race, especially as political alignments begin to shift in anticipation of the next cycle.
The Labour Party, which rose to prominence in the 2023 elections under the joint ticket of Obi and Baba-Ahmed, is expected to play a significant role in the next general elections — whether or not the duo run again.
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